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Sam Smith, Ethan Hawke, Caroline Flack and Pasha Kovalev

Chris plays tinsel-tastic tunes and gets the festive feeling going with special guests: Ethan Hawke, Caroline Flack, Pasha Kovalev and Sam Smith, who plays live in the studio.

2 hours, 59 minutes

Music Played

  • Adam Ant

    Goody Two Shoes

    • Wave Party (Various Artists).
    • Columbia.
    • 15.
  • Band Aid 30

    Do They Know It's Christmas? (2014)

    • (CD Single).
    • Mercury.
  • The Beatles

    Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

    • The White Album.
    • Parlophone.
    • 4.
  • Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga

    It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

    • (CD Single).
    • Polydor.
    • 001.
  • Chet Baker

    Everything Happens to Me

  • Coldplay

    Christmas Lights

    • (CD Single).
    • Parlophone.
    • 1.
  • Nat King Cole

    The Christmas Song

    • That's Christmas (Various Artists).
    • EMI.
  • The Communards

    Never Can Say Goodbye

    • Now That's What I Call Music 1987.
    • Now.
  • Roger Daltrey & Wilko Johnson

    Muskrat

    • Going Back 麻豆约拍 Special Deluxe Edition.
    • Chess Records.
    • 2.
  • The Darkness

    Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End)

    • (CD Single).
    • Atlantic.
  • Gloria Gaynor

    I Am What I Am

    • Gloria Gaynor.
    • Gold Box.
  • Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott

    Real Hope

    • (CD Single).
    • Virgin EMI Records.
    • 001.
  • Eartha Kitt

    Santa Baby

  • Morecambe & Wise

    Bring Me Sunshine

    • Summer Holiday (Various Artists).
    • Sony Music.
  • Tom Odell

    Real Love

    • (CD Single).
    • Columbia.
  • Pet Shop Boys

    It's A Sin

    • Pet Shop Boys - Discography.
    • EMI.
  • The Pogues

    Fairytale Of New York (feat. Kirsty MacColl)

    • (CD Single).
    • Rhino.
  • Gregory Porter

    A Cradle In Bethlehem (Radio 2 Session, 12 Dec 2014)

    • The Christmas Song.
    • Capitol.
  • Taylor Swift

    Blank Space

    • (CD Single).
    • Big Machine Records.
    • 1.
  • The Weather Girls

    It's Raining Men

    • Success.
    • Cherry Pop.
    • 13.
  • Wham!

    Last Christmas

    • That's Christmas (Various Artists).
    • EMI.

Pause for Thought

Pause for Thought

From comedian & writer Paul Kerensa:

When I鈥檓 not pausing, or having thoughts, I鈥檓 writing for sitcoms like 鈥楴ot Going Out鈥 (Christmas Eve 麻豆约拍1, glimpse my half-second cameo near the end), and 鈥楳iranda鈥 (Christmas Day and New Year鈥檚 Day). Both series end this Christmas, and for Miranda at least, it ends forever. Its fans will be gutted 鈥 I certainly am. But bear with 鈥 we鈥檝e got what-I-call 鈥渁 good send-off鈥 for the show.

It debuted seven years ago on, in fact, Radio 2 鈥 so thanks Radio 2 for giving Miranda a push! Till she promptly fell over. Since then I鈥檝e lobbed lines into each episode, and even popped up as a customer. It鈥檚 been 鈥榮uch fun鈥 to be part of the lovely team, in a show everyone can watch 鈥 even if Dad may be itching to switch to Top Gear, sorry Dad.

Every week, teenagers tell me Miranda speaks to them. I don鈥檛 know how they spot me as an anonymous co-writer 鈥 must be the way I talk to fruit friends, or pratfall over cardboard boxes.

The show says to the ungainly that it鈥檚 ok to clumsily not 鈥榝it in鈥, or publicly embarrass yourself. And it asks at regular intervals, 鈥淲hat have you done today to make you feel proud?鈥

Now it ends, it鈥檚 for me a season of life: seven years on a fun joyous show. Like all of life鈥檚 seasons, it鈥檚 fleeting when viewed from this end of it 鈥 something perfectly shown, may I add, in Ethan Hawke鈥檚 brilliant films, from Before Sunrise to Boyhood.

The good book says, 鈥淭here鈥檚 a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.鈥 鈥淎 time to plant, and a time to uproot.鈥 Well now it鈥檚 time for Miranda to uproot. And good news for clumsy young folk: There鈥檚 a time to fit in and a time not to, a time to embarrass yourself and a time to be accepted... and that 鈥渟pot o鈥檛ime鈥 will come. Awkwardness is often fleeting. And even if not, if you embarrass yourself at Christmas dinner or get your dress caught in a taxi door, may we all embrace the awkwardness and celebrate the different! Once we鈥檝e covered up.

And thanks Radio 2 for starting the show off. May I clumsily awkwardly say, it鈥檚 been 鈥榮uch fun鈥.

Broadcast

  • Thu 18 Dec 2014 06:30

Farewell Chris Evans: The best bits from his last shows at Radio 2

After eight years of hosting the Breakfast Show, Chris Evans leaves Radio 2.

500 Words

麻豆约拍 Radio 2's story-writing competition for kids.